Incarceron

By Catherine Fisher


". . . or is it that man contains within himself the seeds of evil? That even if he is placed in a paradise perfectly formed for him he will poison it, slowly, with his own jealousies and desires?" Page 312

I love the key. The cover is beautiful and does justice to the key in the story. I am always enchanted by a beautiful (and magical) key.


Incarceron is imaginative, dark and convincing. The world Fisher creates is thorough and believable. She takes the qualities of her world to their logical conclusion, but also takes full freedom to push that world and not get stuck in imaginary limitations.


The prison reality is bleak, its prisoners so enmeshed in their prison many of them believe it to be reality - a thought provoking theme. A theme explored alongside bravery, friendship, loyalty and justice. 


The characters are distinct and rich on their own right, with room to grown and deepen in the next book. The characters all face difficult decisions in the search for what is true and to push themselves beyond the falsities they lived in and are trying to free themselves of.  Powerful and important quests for the human search for place and meaning in any world. 


Book 52